Trauma Therapy & PTSD Treatment in San Francisco

Trauma can leave lasting effects — sometimes from events that happened recently, and sometimes from experiences many years ago. Whether or not it meets formal criteria for PTSD, trauma often continues living in the body and nervous system long after the event itself has ended, affecting relationships, work, sleep, self-esteem, and the ability to feel safe or fully present.

Many people seek therapy because they feel stuck in cycles of fear, anxiety, emotional numbness, shame, hypervigilance, anger, or disconnection. Others come because something feels wrong but they cannot fully explain why.

Trauma can take many forms: childhood neglect or abuse, sexual assault, difficult relationships, medical trauma, combat experiences, sudden loss, chronic invalidation, or growing up in environments where emotional needs consistently went unmet. What matters most is not whether others would label an experience “traumatic,” but how it has shaped your life.

Common experiences related to trauma may include:

• anxiety or chronic hypervigilance
• nightmares or difficulty sleeping
• emotional numbness or feeling disconnected
• feeling easily overwhelmed or reactive
• avoidance of certain people, places, or feelings
• relationship difficulties or mistrust
• shame, self-blame, or difficulty feeling safe
• feeling “stuck” despite insight or effort

I have extensive experience working with trauma survivors, including survivors of sexual assault, childhood neglect or abuse, and combat veterans through many years working with the Department of Veteran Affairs, community mental health settings, and private practice. My approach is flexible and responsive, guided by your pace and readiness. Rather than forcing difficult experiences open too quickly, therapy can provide a safer space to understand how trauma continues affecting you today — and help create new possibilities beyond survival alone.

Healing from trauma is rarely about forgetting. More often, it involves reclaiming a sense of safety, flexibility, connection, and choice.

Additional Reading

If these experiences feel familiar, you may also find these reflections helpful.

• Why Trauma Doesn’t Always Feel Like Trauma
• Adult ADHD or Trauma? Why the Difference Matters (And Sometimes Doesn’t)
• Why Some People Struggle to Relax, Even When Nothing Is Wrong
• The Emotional Cost of Being Highly Self-Aware
• The Fear of Being “Too Much” for Others